Senator Robert C. Byrd Passes Away (Video Included)

Charleston, W.Va. – West Virginia Secretary of State Natalie E. Tennant released the following statement regarding the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd, who died early today at the age of 92:

“I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the family of Senator Robert C. Byrd.

"It is difficult to put into words Senator Byrd’s contributions to the State of West Virginia and to the United States. It saddens me to think of a West Virginia without Robert Byrd. But that is what we face today.

“We as West Virginians owe him a great deal. He represented us with dignity and class. The fact that he is the longest serving Senator in the history of our great nation shows that the people of this state loved him and respected him, and always appreciated what he was able to accomplish in Washington. He always kept the concerns of West Virginians close to his heart. Without his leadership and the way he fought for us, it is hard to imagine where we would be as a state.

“But it is not just West Virginians who have lost a great leader. The people of The United States of America have lost a man who served as both Senate Majority Leader and Minority Leader, and also as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. He served as Senator longer than President Obama has been alive. He sat on powerful committees. He made extremely difficult decisions every day.

“We will never replace Senator Byrd. He truly was a great West Virginian, and the people of our state have lost a trusted and powerful friend in Washington.”